Campaigners joy at gift of Haverhill crossing

Ron Davies' campaign for a crossing to be put in at the bus stop outside Sainsbury's has been successful.

Campaigner Ron Davies is celebrating the news that the road safety changes he has fought for over two years have finally been funded.

Mr Davies of Horsham Close, Haverhill, with the help of county councillors, asked the county highways department for a bus stop on the A1307 opposite Sainsbury’s to be moved and for a layby and pedestrian crossing.

Now Suffolk County Council has said funding is in place for the work including a pelican crossing.

Mr Davies told the Haverhill Echo: “It’s only taken them two years and two months, but I am delighted that the funding is finally there.

“It’s like a great Christmas present. I am very pleased.

“The engineer has said work will start in the new year.”

County and borough councillor Anne Gower said: “It was all agreed back in June that we would have a traffic light crossing, not just a central island refuge which they had proposed.

“We said we wanted the work done before the dark nights draw in, but we are still waiting.

“I am now pushing for the work to be done as soon as possible.”

Fellow county and borough councillor Tony Brown agreed it is good news that the funding is now in place but delivery of the work must be done as soon as possible.

“I know the highways department is running late on several projects, including the refreshing of signs in Haverhill High Street,” he said.

“This has been a cross-party effort to make this road safer to cross.

“It is essential as this road will become busier when new developments of more than 5,000 homes are built.

“It is forecast that 90 per cent of commuters will be heading from Haverhill to Cambridge and the M11.